In order to fulfill this goal, Baseafood will strive to maximize the business performance of its two supermarkets and one seafood outlet as well as the mobile seafood vans and retail chains in domestic market. Read more of this post

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), total fisheries production in February was estimated to reach 355.4 thousand MT, bringing fisheries output in the first two months of 2011 to 790.4 thousand MT, up 2.6 percent over the same period last year in which capture production reached 442.4 thousand MT Read more of this post

At the beginning of 2011, Vietnamese shrimp export has shown signal of a promising year with high growth in volume, value and average export price.

According to Vietnam Customs, at the first half of January 2011, shrimp enterprises have exported 7,185 MT of shrimp to global markets, worth US$66 million, up 37 percent and 56 percent, respectively compared to the same period last year. This is the most impressive start since 2007. Read more of this post

Seafood exports are expected to rise 6 percent from last year’s record high to US$5.3 billion this year, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers.

With the global economy recovering, export prices have gone up, while the devaluation of the dong has also helped seafood exporters.

This year, in addition to traditional markets like the US, Japan, and Europe where demand for seafood is expected to be steady, Vietnamese exporters plan to focus on China and South Korea, two markets that accounted for 11 percent of exports last year. Read more of this post

On 19th January 2011, in Can Thi City, the Directorate of Fisheries (DoF) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) held a conference on the review of brackish water shrimp production in 2010 and the implementation plan for 2011.

According to the data of D-FISH, the aquaculture production in 2010 reached about 2.82 million MT, up 9 percent from 2009; its export value was US$4.7 billion. In which, the farming area of black tiger shrimp was 613,718 ha; the farming area of whiteleg shrimp was about 25,397 ha, up 32 percent over 2009. In 2010, shrimp export value is estimated at over US$2 billion.

The delegates said that the price of black tiger shrimp in 2010 tended more favorable for farmers. However, the farming area out of the planning was great, using unquarantined bloodstocks was rather high, feed continuously fluctuated, and farmers had difficulties. The farming area of whiteleg shrimp increased and has had the high potential risk of spreading disease to the ponds of black tiger shrimp. The delegates proposed to conduct fee-free quarantine of the quality of broodstocks for farmers aimed at enhancing the quality of farming areas and reducing the pressure for management authorities.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam said whiteleg shrimp is alien species that has been allowed to farm in Vietnam, but the localities must publish their farming areas under the management planning. In 2011, black tiger shrimp is still the main object to farm, so the localities must watch the loan situation to propose their difficulties and recommend to the government and the State Bank. The localities are required to focus on investment in the irrigation for farming areas. MARD will soon issue the criteria for farming areas and in 2011, it is strived to 50 percent of shrimp farms are numbered to implement the traceability.